Method of drying botanicals

ABSTRACT

A method for drying to increase the useful life of botanicals and shorten the time to market after harvest of the botanicals. The method may include flash freezing the botanicals, at a desired optimal temperature range, soon after harvest. The method may include storing the frozen botanicals indefinitely prior to drying. The method may include drying the frozen botanicals using a lyophilizer at a desired optimal temperature and pressure.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and incorporates by reference as iffully set forth herein U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/686,424titled “Method of Drying Botanicals” and filed on Jun. 18, 2018.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to processing botanical items.In particular, methods of drying the botanical items are described.

Conventional techniques for drying botanicals involve slowly drying theharvested botanicals by hanging them in a cool, dry room for severalweeks. This process leads to quicker degradation of the appearance andcompounds in the botanical. Once the botanical is dry, trimming it isdifficult. Where the botanical is cannabis, the leaves are generallyconsidered useless and are discarded.

Thus, there exists a need for drying that improves upon and advance thedesign of known method for processing botanicals, which also includeshemp and cannabis. Examples of new and useful drying methods relevant tothe needs existing in the field are discussed below.

SUMMARY

The methods discussed below dramatically improve the overall appearance,quality, and shelf life of dried botanicals, while decreasing the dryingtime. According to one aspect of the invention, the improved driedbotanical is produced by flash freezing a harvested botanical until themoisture content is solidified. The frozen botanical is dried bysublimating the solidified moisture content to a gas, while continuouslyremoving the gas from the botanical. The resulting dried botanicalgenerally maintains it original volumetric dimensions and maintains itsusability for an extended period of time. The botanical can then beplaced in a sealed container for future use. The removed gas can beconverted to liquid form comprising of water and terpene oil, whereinthe lighter terpene oil is separated from the heavier water andcollected.

According to another aspect of the invention, the dried botanical mayhave its oil extracted therefrom. The extracted oil can be stored incapsules or converted into pill form.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the dried botanical maybe trimmed to form particles, and the trimmed particles can be packedinto cylindrical containers for future use. Additionally, the driedbotanical can be converted into a powder and packed into cylindricalcontainers.

According to a still further aspect of the invention, leaves from abotanical are flash frozen and are dried by sublimating solidifiedmoisture from the frozen leaves. The leaves are mulched either prior tobeing flash frozen or after being dried, and the resulting mulchedleaves may be packed into cylindrical containers for future use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow chart summarizing a method of drying botanicals,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart summarizing a method of optimizing flash freezingprocess in drying botanicals, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart summarizing a method of optimizing sublimationprocessing in drying botanicals, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart summarizing a method of processing leaves of abotanical, according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosed methods will become better understood through review ofthe following detailed description in conjunction with the figures. Thedetailed description and figures provide merely examples of the variousinventions described herein. Those skilled in the art will understandthat the disclosed examples may be varied, modified, and altered withoutdeparting from the scope of the inventions described herein. Manyvariations are contemplated for different applications and designconsiderations; however, for the sake of brevity, each and everycontemplated variation is not individually described in the followingdetailed description.

Throughout the following detailed description, a variety of methods areprovided. Related features in the examples may be identical, similar, ordissimilar in different examples. For the sake of brevity, relatedfeatures will not be redundantly explained in each example. Instead, theuse of related feature names will cue the reader that the feature with arelated feature name may be similar to the related feature in an exampleexplained previously. Features specific to a given example will bedescribed in that particular example. The reader should understand thata given feature need not be the same or similar to the specificportrayal of a related feature in any given figure or example.

With reference to FIG. 1 one method 100 of drying botanicals, will nowbe described. Within hours of harvesting 102 the botanical, it is placedin a freezer, ideally within one hour. For cannabis or hemp processing,it is desirable to remove the flower from the plant 104 and place onlythe flower in the freezer. In other embodiments, the whole plant may bedirectly placed in the freezer. Alternatively, the flowers can beremoved from the whole plants at later steps of method 100. For the stepof flash freezing 106, the freezer should be as cold as possible, withthe current range being between −10 degrees Fahrenheit and at least −60degrees Fahrenheit. The lower temperature insures the botanical freezesas quickly as possible for best preservation. The botanical can then bestored 108 in this frozen state indefinitely until the botanical isneeded. After removal from frozen storage, the frozen botanical is dried110. This process includes placing the botanical in a drying machine,such as a lyophilizer which is generally composed of a vacuum chamberand a vacuum pump. Once the botanicals are placed in the vacuum chamber,the drying machine will lower the air pressure in the chamber and cyclethe temperature. This process will allow the botanical to reach thetriple point, where the frozen water molecules in the botanical will besublimated or vaporized and turned into a gas. The machine removes thegas from the vacuum chamber using the vacuum pump, wherein the removedgas is converted to liquid form comprising of water and terpene oilwhich is lighter in weight, and the terpene oil is then collected usingstandard oil water separating procedures. The botanical is then removed,being dry and fully intact and placed in final storage 112, ideally inan airtight container. Optionally, the resulting botanical may befurther processed 112, such as having its oil extracted therefrom or itis trimmed such that the trimmed particles may be packed into acylindrical container for further use. This oil is extracted from thebotanical by immersing the botanical in a solvent, such as food gradeethanol which is good to use for cannabis botanicals. The solvent isthen distilled or boiled off, leaving behind the extracted oil. Theextracted oil can be stored in capsule form or converted into pill formby adding a pill powder mix such as corn starch to the extracted oil andsubjecting the resulting mixture to a standard pill pressing machine.Additionally, the dried botanical can be converted to small particles orpowder form and packed into cylindrical containers for future use.

Turning attention to FIG. 2, a second example of drying botanicals willnow be described. Method 200 includes many similar or identical featuresto method 100. Within hours of harvesting 202 the botanical, it isplaced in a freezer, ideally within one hour. For the step of flashfreezing 204, the freezer should be at within the optimal temperaturerange of −45f to −55f. The lower temperature insures the botanicalfreezes as quickly as possible for best preservation. After removal, theflash frozen botanical is dried 206. This process includes placing thebotanical in a drying machine, such as a lyophilizer which is generallycomposed of a vacuum chamber and a vacuum pump. Once the botanicals areplaced in the vacuum chamber, the drying machine will lower the airpressure in the chamber and cycle the temperature. This process willallow the botanical to reach the triple point, where the frozen watermolecules in the botanical will be sublimated or vaporized and turnedinto a gas. The machine removes the gas from the vacuum chamber usingthe vacuum pump. The botanical is then removed, being dry and fullyintact and can be stored 208, ideally in an airtight container.

FIG. 3 illustrates a third example of drying botanicals. Method 300includes many similar or identical features to method 100. Within hoursof harvesting 302 the botanical, it is placed in a freezer, ideallywithin one hour. For the step of flash freezing 304, the freezer shouldbe as cold as possible, with the current range being between −10 degreesFahrenheit and at least −60 degrees Fahrenheit. The lower temperatureinsures the botanical freezes as quickly as possible for bestpreservation. After flash freezing, the frozen botanical is dried 306.This process includes placing the botanical in a drying machine, such asa lyophilizer which is generally composed of a vacuum chamber and avacuum pump. Once the botanicals are placed in the vacuum chamber, thedrying machine will lower the air pressure in the chamber to an optimalpressure, between 300 and 600 torr for example. Other pressures are alsopossible. Also during this step 306, the machine will cycle thetemperature, ideally between 40 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. This processwill allow the botanical to reach the triple point, where the frozenwater molecules in the botanical will be sublimated or vaporized andturned into a gas. The machine removes the gas from the vacuum chamberusing the vacuum pump. The botanical is then removed, being dry andfully intact and can be stored 308, ideally in an airtight container.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of processing the leaves of a botanical.Method 400 includes many similar or identical features to method 100.Within hours of harvesting 402 the botanical, the leaves are separatedfrom the botanical and then mulched. Alternatively, the leaves can bemulched at later steps in 400. The mulch is placed in a freezer, ideallywithin one hour from harvesting. For the step of flash freezing 404, thefreezer should be as cold as possible, with the current range beingbetween −10 degrees Fahrenheit and at least −60 degrees Fahrenheit. Thelower temperature insures the botanical freezes as quickly as possiblefor best preservation. After flash freezing, the frozen mulch is dried406. This process includes placing the mulch in a drying machine, suchas a lyophilizer which is generally composed of a vacuum chamber and avacuum pump. Once the mulch is placed in the vacuum chamber, the dryingmachine will lower the air pressure in the chamber and cycle thetemperature. This process will allow the mulch to reach the triplepoint, where the frozen water molecules in the mulch will be sublimatedor vaporized and turned into a gas. The machine removes the gas from thevacuum chamber using the vacuum pump. The mulch is removed, being dryand fully intact. As indicated previously, the mulch can be first formed408 after the leaves are flash frozen and dried (i.e. made substantiallymoisture free). The resulting dried mulched leaves can be stored 410, bypacking the dried mulched leaves into a container, which may becylindrically shaped, for further use.

The disclosure above encompasses multiple distinct inventions withindependent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosedin a particular form, the specific embodiments disclosed and illustratedabove are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerousvariations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includesall novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of thevarious elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed aboveand inherent to those skilled in the art pertaining to such inventions.Where the disclosure or subsequently filed claims recite “a” element, “afirst” element, or any such equivalent term, the disclosure or claimsshould be understood to incorporate one or more such elements, neitherrequiring nor excluding two or more such elements.

Applicant(s) reserves the right to submit claims directed tocombinations and subcombinations of the disclosed inventions that arebelieved to be novel and non-obvious. Inventions embodied in othercombinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements and/orproperties may be claimed through amendment of those claims orpresentation of new claims in the present application or in a relatedapplication. Such amended or new claims, whether they are directed tothe same invention or a different invention and whether they aredifferent, broader, narrower or equal in scope to the original claims,are to be considered within the subject matter of the inventionsdescribed herein.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: flash freezing abotanical to solidify moisture content within the botanical, wherein thebotanical contains an initial volumetric dimension; sublimatingsubstantially all of the solidified moisture content from the botanicalto form a sublimated moisture content; converting the sublimatedmoisture content to liquid form, said liquid form being comprised ofwater and terpene oil, said terpene oil being lighter in weight thansaid water; and separating said terpene oil from said water; andcollecting said separated terpene oil.
 2. The method of claim 1, whereinthe sublimated moisture content is separated from the botanical, and afinal volumetric dimension of the botanical is substantially the same asthe initial volumetric dimension.
 3. The method of claim 2, furthercomprising placing the botanical within a chamber of a lyophilizer. 4.The method of claim 3, wherein the sublimated moisture content isseparated from the botanical by vacuuming the sublimated moisturecontent from the chamber to leave the botanical in a substantially driedstate.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the substantially driedbotanical is placed in an airtight sealed container for preservation forfurther use.
 6. The method of claim 4, wherein the substantially driedbotanical is trimmed to form a residue of particles, and the trimmedparticles are then packed into cylindrical containers for future use. 7.The method of claim 4, wherein the substantially dried botanical isconverted into powdered form and is packed into at least one cylindricalcontainer for future use.
 8. The method of claim 4, wherein oil isextracted from the dried botanical, and the extracted oil is stored incapsule form.
 9. The method of claim 4, wherein oil is extracted fromthe dried botanical, and the extracted oil is converted into pill form.10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the botanical is hemp.
 11. Amethod comprising: harvesting a botanical; separating leaves from thebotanical; flash freezing the leaves to solidify moisture contentcontained therein; sublimating the solidified moisture content fromflash frozen leaves forming substantially moisture free flash frozenleaves; forming a mulch from the moisture free flash frozen leaves; andpacking the mulch into at least one container.
 12. A method according toclaim 11, further comprising the steps of: converting the sublimatedmoisture content to liquid form, said liquid form being comprised ofwater and terpene oil, said terpene oil being lighter in weight thansaid water; separating said terpene oil from said water, and collectingsaid separated terpene oil.
 13. A method according to claim 11, whereinthe botanical is hemp.
 14. A method comprising: harvesting a botanical;separating leaves from the botanical; forming a mulch from the leaves;flash freezing the formed mulch to solidify moisture content containedtherein; sublimating the solidified moisture from the flash frozen mulchto form substantially moisture free flash frozen mulch; and packing themoisture free flash frozen mulch into at least one container.
 15. Amethod according to claim 14, further comprising the steps of:converting the sublimated moisture content to liquid form, said liquidform being comprised of water and terpene oil, said terpene oil beinglighter in weight than said water; separating said terpene oil from saidwater, and collecting said separated terpene oil.
 16. A method accordingto claim 14, wherein the botanical is hemp.
 17. A method comprising:freezing a botanical to solidify the moisture content within thebotanical; sublimating substantially all of the solidified moisturecontent from the botanical to form a substantially dried botanical;extracting oil from said substantially dried botanical; converting theextracted oil into pill form; converting the sublimated moisture contentto liquid form, said liquid form being comprised of water and terpeneoil, said terpene oil being lighter in weight than said water;separating said terpene oil from said water; and collecting saidseparated terpene oil.
 18. A method according to claim 17, wherein thebotanical is hemp.